Clowns have become an integral part of horror films, and here are the 10 most memorable movie buffoons, from the dumbest to the scariest.
10 Stupidest Clown: Captain Spaulding - House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Captain Spaulding, played by the late Sid Haig, may look a bit intimidating, but he's actually one of the most innocent characters in "House of 1000 corpses" . He owns a gas station and a fried chicken joint that also doubles as a roadside attraction. He may be a vulgar clown, but his personality and jokes make him more goofy when it comes to filming clowns.
He may not have the best of intentions, but he's in no way scarier than some of his co-stars.
9 Stupidest Clowns: Killer Clowns From Outer Space (1988)
The special effects weren't perfected in the 1980s, which makes "The Clown"'s makeup look more goofy. The film bypassed the line between comedy and chills while also honing in on elements of punk rock and artistic value.
This cult classic features fun environments where clowns and aliens mix together to make a movie. It's weird, a little scary at times, but fun nonetheless.
8 Stupidest Clown: Spawn (1997)
In films with darker tones, it's always good to have a comedic presence to bite the suspense, and it looks like a clown version of the Violator is playing a role inspawn . Played by iconic actor John Leguizamo, he is sent to Earth to taunt and mentor Spawn in his new role as the Hellspawn.
He jokes and his character is loud and chubby, making him comedic rather than scary. However, when he assumes his "real" form, that's another story.
7. Stupidest Clown: Manic Clown - Stitches (2012)
He is rude, rude, and raised from the dead; He sews a clown. The film starts innocently enough: Stitches is an unfortunate clown who has fun at children's birthday parties. He falls untimely and eventually passes out of life, but comes back for revenge.
This is a fun attraction that turns into a teen slasher with funny episodes. It's definitely a low-budget movie, but it did a great job of mixing up a lot of the clownish vibes.
6. Most Stupid Clown: Arthur Fleck / Most Scary Clown: The Joker. Movie - Joker (2019)
"Joker" is the latest clown movie that falls between silly and scary, but in different ways. Arthur just wants to make people smile and he is a really nice person with mental problems; but once he's gone too far and fed up, he turns into something else. He embarks on the path of destruction, starting a revolution and bloody criminal activity.
His alter ego, the Joker, is born much scarier and more manic than any other movie clown character.
5. Scariest Clown: Clown Out of the Box - Krampus (2015)
Usually holiday movies are family-friendly and filled with wonderful characters, butKrampus goes the other way. Top-notch actors such as Adam Scott and Toni Collette star in this holiday movie and join in on the fun and laughter that the first half of the film portrays. Once Krampus and his minions are freed, everything changes.
Evil Krampus toy characters like the Jack-in-the-Box above are incredibly intimidating, and it comes down to Jack swallowing one of the people in the house. Direct holiday chill.
4 Scariest Clown: Billy the Puppet - Saw (2003)
One of the most iconic and recognizable characters in the horror industry has to be Billy the Puppet. He doesn't actually harm people, but he often delivers harmful messages to his master's prisoners. Fans of the franchiseSaw know that when Billy shows up, something insidious is about to happen.
From his ability to handle a tricycle to his beady eyes, this guy from the movies "Saw" nothing is safe or fun.
3 Scariest Clown: Clown Doll - Poltergeist (1982)
Going back to 1982, "Poltergeist" is a film that has stood the test of time and has become one of the most iconic films in horror history. CGI and special effects were new back then and horrified audiences to no end. For people suffering from coulrophobia, this may haunt their dreams.
It's a classic "Bogeyman in the Closet" scenario where the audience knows what's in store for the creepy clown in the kids' bedroom, but the character doesn't.
2 Scariest Clown: Pennywise - It (1990 & 2017)
It's hard to attribute both Pennywise characters to one, but they're equally intimidating in many ways. Actors Tim Curry and Bill Skarsgård both portrayed the creature-turned-clown well, in their own unique way, rather than when the films were released. Pennywise in 1990 was more modest and horrific scenes left to the imagination, while Pennywise in 2017 left no doubt. Sure, the special effects improved in between films, but the creepiness didn't change.
Story line "This creepy as hell", no matter who played the clown, and it was probably one of the first films to influence how teenagers imagined clowns for the rest of their lives.
1. The scariest clown: Art, from the movie Terrifying (2016)
Sometimes it doesn't take a whole village to make a scary movie, becauseTerrifer brokestereotypes in this category. Usually there is a story behind the villain's intent to wreak havoc, but in Art's case that doesn't happen and that's what makes him so scary. The art haunts and kills anyone that crosses its path, which again is creepy because there really is no motive.
At first, he comes across as semi-friendly, until his entire demeanor changes in an instant. He also didn't squeak once throughout the movie, which makes him mysterious and even more frightening.
